Portable shredder for classified documents

ABSTRACT

A portable shredder for classified documents including a housing, a pair of cooperating shearing rolls each having a plurality of substantially parallel cutting edges, means for feeding sheet material to said shearing rolls, a rotary blade cutter spaced from and substantially parallel to said shearing rolls, means for receiving shredded material, airflow means for forcing said shredded material into said receiving means, and means for driving said shearing rolls, said feeding means, said rotary blade cutter, and said airflow means.

United States Patent I I I 929,960 8/1909 Low .Ioe Pellesehl;

Charles A. Pelleschl, both of Box 54, Spangler, Pa. 15775 Appl. No 10,4l5

Filctl Feb. I l, 1970 Patented Nov. 16, 197] Inventors PORTABLE SHREDDER FOR CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS 17 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 24l/l00, 24 l/ I 52 Int. Cl B021: 9/04 Field of Search 24 N58, 60, 63, I00, I52, I57, I58, 280

References Clted UNITED STATES PATENTS l,736,622 I l/I929 Randall 24l/l 52 2,691.338 l0/l954 24l/IOOX 3,545,689 12/1970 241/63 X 3.2l7,988 ll/l965 241/101 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jrv Attorney-Shlesinger, Arkwright & Garvey ABSTRACT: A portable shredder for classified documents including a housing, a pair of cooperating shearing rolls each having a plurality ofsubstantially parallel cutting edges, means for feeding sheet material to said shearing rolls. a rotary blade cutter spaced from and substantially parallel to said shearing rolls. means for receiving shredded material, airflow means for forcing said shredded material into said receiving means, and means for driving said shearing rolls, said feeding means, said rotary blade cutter, and said airflow means.

PATENTEUuuv 1619?! 3,620,461

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INVENTOR Joseph Pal/05cm BY Charles A. Pelleschi X WWZWW w wy PORTABLE SHREDDER FOR CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS This invention relates to a portable shredder for classified documents. drawings, sheet material, and the like.

This invention provides a greatly improved system for the disposal of classified documents, drawings, and the like by reducing the size of the apparatus to a convenient size which may be used in an office, for example as a desk-size document destroyer.

Prior types of apparatus for destroying classified material have been typified by the apparatus in the patent to Liebrnan U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,914, this apparatus being of the type which is utilized in a government or private installation in a centralized location within the building. Any classified material which had served its purpose and which was to be destroyed would be taken to this centralized location from the various points of use within the building, and destroyed at the machine. One of the disadvantages associated with this type of system is that not only must the person who is using the classified material have the proper security clearance, even the person who collects the material to be destroyed must have a corresponding security clearance. This presents an unnecessary burden upon the employer to provide janitorial personnel with a high security clearance.

Another prior an type of classified material destroying apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,286 to O'Connor. This apparatus is carried on a flatbed trailer to the various installations where classified material is to be destroyed. At the point of use, a hopper is filled with the classified documents, the documents are shredded and destroyed, and the truck may then move to another installation to repeat the destroying process. In addition to the use of the classified material and the janitorial personnel who bring the classified document to the disintegrator, even the truck driver would be required to have the proper security clearance. This presents an even greater burden upon the employer.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a portable, desk-size document destroyer which is inexpensively made and manufactured, and is readily available to the person using the classified documents. When he is finished with the documents, and the documents have served their useful purpose, the user merely inserts the documents into this apparatus, and the documents are shredded and rendered unintelligible.

Therefore, a primary object of this invention is to provide a portable shredder for classified documents.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for destroying classified documents and rendering the documents unintelligible.

A further object of this invention is to provide a decsumentdestroying device which overcomes the disadvantages of prior art devices and yet provides a fast and efficient means for destroying classified documents.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for destroying documents by shredding the documents and filling a disposable bag with the shredded material.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a shredder for classified documents which shreds the documents into very small pieces of paper and mixes the small pieces of paper before discharging them into a collection receptacle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a portable document shredder provided with airflow means for forcing the paper shreds into a collection receptacle.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent when considered with the following specification and claims when taken with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the invention with parts broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a section along 22 of FIG. I and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the cutters of this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the relative size of the apparatus of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an alternate embodiment of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the document destroyer is generally designated 10 and includes a housing 12. At the front of the housing 12 is an opening which defines a slot 14 for feeding documentary material P into the shredder area S. Inside the opening 14 are two parallel shafts l6 and I8 which are mounted for rotation. Shafts l6 and I8 carry a plurality of friction wheels 20 for engaging sheet material and feeding it to the shearing rolls 22 and 24. Shearing rolls 22 and 24 include a plurality of cutting edges 26 and 28. The detail of the cutting edges 26 and 28 is seen in FIG. 3, and the cutting edges 26 and 28 include bevels 31 at their perimeter. The discs 30 are preferably of a width substantially equal to the size of typewriter type, so that each letter on the document P is separated from the next adjacent letter as the documents I are passed between the shearing rolls 22 and 24.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a rotary blade cutter 32 is positioned directly behind shearing rolls 22 and 24. Cutter 32 includes a plurality of cutting blades 34 which cooperate with edges 36 to cut the strips of paper transversely. Cutter 32 is rotating at a relatively high speed so as to cut the paper strips into very small chips C.

Directly behind each of the shearing rolls 22 and 24 are a plurality of stripper fingers 38. There is provided one finger 38 for each disc 30, and in this manner, the paper strips are prevented from wrapping about the disc 30.

Alter the paper strips have been cut by blades 34 into chips C, the chips C drop downwardly into a chamber 40 and are forced rearwardly of chamber 40 into a receptacle 42. The receptacle 42 may be either a removable drawer or can or may include a bag 44 which would receive the paper chips C and be removable from the apparatus in a manner similar to a vacuum cleaner. In order to assure thorough mixing of the paper chips, a plurality of spaced bars or bafiles 46 are positioned across the opening of receptacle 42 in a vertical or horizontal manner as desired. These bars or baffles 46 serve to induce turbulence in the flow of the particles and thoroughly mix the paper chips C.

In order to provide the positive means for forcing the paper chips C into the receptacle 42 or bag 44 a fan 48 is provided directly behind cutter 32. The fan 48 is provided with a discharge opening 50 and a baffle plate 52. Baffle plate 52 directs the flow of air into the receptacle 42 or the bag 44, and provides for positive forcing of the paper chips C into the receptacle 42. Bag 44 is the porous type which is usually used with vacuum cleaners. In connection with this embodiment, a screen 56 is provided at the rear of housing 12 to pennit the air to escape from the housing [2, and yet retain the paper chips C in the receptacle. The housing back 57 is hinged as at 59 to permit removal of bag 44 when filled.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, suction fan 96 is connected by means of inlet duct 98 to receptacle 42. Also, a discharge duct 100 is provided. In this manner, a partial vacuum is produced in receptacle 42 and porous bag 44 to draw the chips C into the bag 44.

With reference now to FIG. I the means by which feed rollers 20, shearing rolls 22 and 24, rotary blade 32, and fan 48 are driven will now be described.

An electric motor 58 is provided and has an output shaft 60. Output shaft 60 has secured thereto a pulley 62 and a worm gear 64. Shaft 60 is joumaled in support 66 and 68. The pulley 70 is secured to the end of rotary blade cutter 32, and a drive belt 72 connects pulleys 62 and 70 in a driving relationship.

Extending substantially parallel to the direction of paper travel is a shaft 74 which is supported by supports 76 and 78 for a rotary movement. At one end of shaft 74 is a gear 80 which is engaged with worm gear 64. In this manner, rotation of worm gear 64 causes rotation of shaft 74 through gear 80.

The other end of shafi 74 is worm gear 82 which is meshed with gear 84 on the end of shearing roll 24. On the end of shearing roll 22, is a pulley 86. and a belt 88 connecting pulley 86 with a pulley (not shown) on the end of shearing roll 24. An additional pulley 90 is mounted on the end of feed shaft I6, and is connected to a pulley (not shown) on the end of shearing roll 24 by means of the belt 92.

In this manner, rotation of shaft 74 causes rotation of shearing rolls 22 and 24, and feed shaft 16.

Because of the frictional engagement between feed rollers 20 on shaft 16 and 18, the friction wheels 20 on shaft 18 are rotated simultaneously with the wheels on shaft 16.

The gearing between motor 58 and shearing roll 22 and 24 is such that shear rolls 22 and 24 rotate slower relative to the rotary blade cutter 32.

Secured adjacent the end of feed shaft 18 is a microswitch 94 which serves to control through electrical means (not shown) the amount of paper which may be fed to shredder rolls 22 and 24 at a given time. In this manner, clogging of the shearing rolls by too much paper is prevented.

FIG. 4 illustrates the relationship of the document shredder of this invention to a desk D. Here it is readily seen that the document shredder is of a size that is convenient and practical for office use.

While this invention has been described. it will be understcod that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses and/or adaptations of the invention following in general, the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A portable shredder for classified documents including:

a. a housing,

b. strip cutter means mounted in said housing,

c. means for feeding sheet material to said strip cutter means for strip cutting said sheet material,

d. chip cutter means mounted in said housing,

e. means for guiding said cut strip material from said strip cutter means to said chip cutter means for chipping said cut strips,

f. means for receiving said chips from said chip cutter means,

g. airflow means for forcing said chips into said receiving means, and

h. means for driving said strip cutter means, said feeding means, said chip cutter means, and said airflow means.

2. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim I and wherein:

a. said strip cutter means includes a pair of parallel cooperating shearing rolls each having a plurality of substantially parallel annular cutting edges, and

b. said shearing rolls forming a shearing nip.

3. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 2 and wherein:

a. said chip cutter means includes a rotary blade cutter spaced from and having its axis parallel to said shearing rolls.

4. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein:

a. said airflow means includes blower means.

5. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein:

a. said airflow means includes suction means.

6. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and including:

a. means for inducing turbulence and mixing in the flow of said chips.

7. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 6 and wherein:

a. said turbulence and mixing inducing means includes bars positioned in the fiow of said chips.

8. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein:

a. said rotary blade cutter is positioned rearwardly of said shearin rolls.

9. A porta le shredder for classified documents as in claim 8 and wherein:

a. said feeding means is positioned forwardly of said shearing rolls.

10. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 9 and wherein:

a. said receiving means is positioned rearwardly of and below said rotary blade cutter, and

b. means for directing said chips to said receiving means.

1 l. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 10 and wherein:

a. said driving means is positioned above said receiving means.

12. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein:

a. said feeding means includes a pair of parallel cooperating feed bars.

13. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 12 and wherein:

a. each of said feed bars includes a plurality of feed rollers spaced along said feed bars for engaging and feeding said documents. 14. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein:

a. said receiving means includes a removable bag.

15. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim [4 and wherein:

a. said removable bag comprises a disposable bag.

16. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and including:

a. means for stripping said cut strips from said shearing rolls.

17. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 16 and wherein:

a. said stripping means includes a stripping finger between each two adjacent cutting edges on each of said shearing rolls.

# i i l i 

1. A portable shredder for classified documents including: a. a housing, b. strip cutter means mounted in said housing, c. means for feeding sheet material to said strip cutter means for strip cutting said sheet material, d. chip cutter means mounted in said housing, e. means for guiding said cut strip material from said strip cutter means to said chip cutter means for chipping said cut strips, f. means for receiving said chips from said chip cutter means, g. airflow means for forcing said chips into said receiving means, and h. means for driving said strip cutter means, said feeding means, said chip cutter means, and said airflow means.
 2. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 1 and wherein: a. said strip cutter means incluDes a pair of parallel cooperating shearing rolls each having a plurality of substantially parallel annular cutting edges, and b. said shearing rolls forming a shearing nip.
 3. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 2 and wherein: a. said chip cutter means includes a rotary blade cutter spaced from and having its axis parallel to said shearing rolls.
 4. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein: a. said airflow means includes blower means.
 5. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein: a. said airflow means includes suction means.
 6. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and including: a. means for inducing turbulence and mixing in the flow of said chips.
 7. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 6 and wherein: a. said turbulence and mixing inducing means includes bars positioned in the flow of said chips.
 8. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein: a. said rotary blade cutter is positioned rearwardly of said shearing rolls.
 9. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 8 and wherein: a. said feeding means is positioned forwardly of said shearing rolls.
 10. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 9 and wherein: a. said receiving means is positioned rearwardly of and below said rotary blade cutter, and b. means for directing said chips to said receiving means.
 11. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 10 and wherein: a. said driving means is positioned above said receiving means.
 12. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein: a. said feeding means includes a pair of parallel cooperating feed bars.
 13. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 12 and wherein: a. each of said feed bars includes a plurality of feed rollers spaced along said feed bars for engaging and feeding said documents.
 14. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and wherein: a. said receiving means includes a removable bag.
 15. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 14 and wherein: a. said removable bag comprises a disposable bag.
 16. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 3 and including: a. means for stripping said cut strips from said shearing rolls.
 17. A portable shredder for classified documents as in claim 16 and wherein: a. said stripping means includes a stripping finger between each two adjacent cutting edges on each of said shearing rolls. 